Publications by authors named "Ian Olver"

Parental supply of alcohol to adolescents is associated with increased risk of subsequent adolescent alcohol use and harms, so identifying factors associated with parents' decision-making is critical. This study examined how parental supply is associated with attitudes toward adolescent alcohol use, perceived norms of parental supply, perceived behavioural control and perceived acceptable age to drink alcohol. A total of 1197 Australian parents with children aged 12-17 years completed an online cross-sectional survey assessing their parental supply behaviours, attitudes and perceptions in April 2022.

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Objective The introduction and implementation of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation represents a major shift in Australian health policy. Given potential repercussions for health professionals, understanding how they are being affected by this legislation is important to guide future policy and legislative changes. This study aims to explore the perspectives and experiences of Australian health professionals on VAD and compare impacts on those working under different state legislation in Victoria and WA.

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Background: Supportive care to ensure optimal quality of life is an essential component of cancer care and symptom control across the lifespan. Ongoing advances in cancer treatment, increasing toxicity from many novel treatment regimes, and variations in access to care and cancer outcomes across the globe and resource settings present significant challenges for supportive care delivery. To date, no overarching framework has been developed to guide supportive care development worldwide.

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Background: Primary hypogonadism is a recognised complication in survivors of testicular cancer. However, secondary hypogonadism can result from other causes that suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, including obesity, high dose glucocorticoids, chronic end organ failure, and diabetes. The aim of this study was to explore low total serum testosterone in Australian survivors of testicular cancer and examine associations with body mass index, age, and prior chemotherapy use.

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  • This clinical trial tested the effectiveness of an oral cannabis extract (THC:CBD) on adults experiencing severe nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, despite using standard anti-nausea medications.
  • The results showed that the cannabis extract significantly increased the rate of complete responses (no vomiting or need for rescue meds) from 8% to 24% compared to a placebo.
  • While participants reported some mild side effects like sedation and dizziness, there were no serious adverse events linked to the cannabis treatment.
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Importance: The role of olanzapine has not been adequately evaluated in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) regimens with or without neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists.

Objective: To evaluate whether addition of olanzapine to an MEC regimen reduces nausea, vomiting, and use of nausea rescue medications among patients with solid malignant tumors.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter, open-label phase 3 randomized clinical trial included patients aged 18 years or older with solid malignant tumors who were receiving oxaliplatin-, carboplatin-, or irinotecan-based chemotherapy.

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Aim: Oncology care provision by multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) is widely acknowledged as best practice. Formal team meetings, led by chairpersons, coordinate decisions on diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, and review. This study addresses a gap in meeting Chairs' perspectives on factors affecting functionality across the meeting cycle, from pre-meeting patient list triage to post-meeting dissemination of recommendations.

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  • Zero-alcohol beverages (0.0-0.5% alcohol) might help reduce overall alcohol consumption if used as substitutes for traditional alcoholic drinks, but they raise concerns about attracting adolescents to alcohol and increasing exposure to branding.
  • A study with 38 parents of teens aged 12-17 revealed that while some parents viewed these beverages as adult options that could promote healthier drinking habits, they believed they were unnecessary for adolescents and could normalize alcohol use.
  • Parents expressed mixed feelings about allowing zero-alcohol drinks for their kids, with worries about possible negative consequences, indicating a need for targeted public health messaging about the risks associated with these products.
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The proliferation of assisted dying legislative reforms globally is a significant change in the social and medico-legal landscape of end-of-life care. Understanding the impacts of these legislative reforms on family members who care for a dying person is vital, yet under-theorised in research. In this article, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 42 carers for a person who has sought assisted dying in Australia, and extending ideas of ontological choreography we explore the new and complex choreographies enacted by carers in their endeavour to arrange a 'good death' for the dying person.

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  • Increasing interest in immunotherapy for cancer treatment has prompted a systematic review to understand patient experiences with checkpoint inhibitors.
  • A search identified 17 qualitative studies, primarily involving patients with advanced melanoma, focusing on areas such as treatment decision-making and quality of life.
  • The review reveals gaps in care, suggesting improvements like peer support for patients and enhanced reporting of treatment-related adverse events.
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Objective: Zero-alcohol beverages (<0.5% alcohol by volume) appear and taste similar to alcoholic beverages but are regulated similarly to soft drinks in many countries, blurring the distinction between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. How parents view provision of zero-alcohol beverages to adolescents is likely a key determinant of adolescent consumption.

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Purpose: Review the literature to update the MASCC guidelines from 2016 for controlling nausea and vomiting with systemic cancer treatment of low and minimal emetic potential.

Methods: A working group performed a systematic literature review using Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases between June 2015 and January 2023 of the management of antiemetic prophylaxis for anticancer therapy of low or minimal emetic potential. A consensus committee reviewed recommendations and required a consensus of 67% or greater and a change in outcome of at least 10%.

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Purpose: Review the literature to propose suggestions or recommendations for controlling nausea and vomiting through integrative and non-pharmacological treatments for the MASCC/ESMO 2023 update of its antiemetic guidelines.

Methods: The authors identified available systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses for 12 integrative therapies, including acupressure, acupuncture, auricular therapy, electrical stimulation of point PC6, ginger use (i.e.

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  • Parents often think that supplying alcohol to minors protects them from harm, but studies show it can actually lead to negative outcomes.
  • A systematic review covering literature from 2011 to 2022 found that the prevalence of parental supply of alcohol varies widely, with minor reports ranging from 7% to 60%.
  • The research highlights that older minors and girls tend to receive alcohol more frequently, and there is a need for clearer definitions and methods in studies to improve health awareness campaigns targeting parents.*
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In considering the impact of medically hastened death (MHD) on cancer care, a wide range of variables needs to be considered including demographic factors, diagnoses, local cultural factors, and the legislative frameworks in place. Here, we present a synthesis of recently available published literature and empirical data collected following legislative change to enable MHD in Victoria, Australia to explore in detail the potential impact of MHD on cancer care with a focus on patients/families and professional groups. Our findings reveal that for patients and families, both physical and existential distress frequently underlie MHD requests, with the latter less readily recognised by health professionals.

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Introduction: A growing body of research has examined the physical, psychological, social and financial impacts of living kidney donation. However, little is known about the unique experiences or additional burdens faced by living donors from regional or remote locations.

Objective: To explore the experiences of living kidney donors who live outside metropolitan centres and to determine how support services could be orientated to better meet their unique needs.

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Background: Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and better understanding of the risk factors could enhance prevention.

Methods: We conducted a hypothesis-free analysis combining machine learning and statistical approaches to identify cancer risk factors from 2828 potential predictors captured at baseline. There were 459,169 UK Biobank participants free from cancer at baseline and 48,671 new cancer cases during the 10-year follow-up.

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Background: Eligibility to access the Victorian voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation requires that people have a prognosis of 6 months or less (or 12 months or less in the setting of a neurodegenerative diagnosis). Yet prognostic determination is frequently inaccurate and prompts clinician discomfort. Based on functional capacity and clinical and biochemical markers, prognostic tools have been developed to increase the accuracy of life expectancy predictions.

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Objective: Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world and also causes morbidity and deterioration in the mental health of patients and their caregivers. The most commonly reported psychological symptoms include anxiety, depression, and the fear of recurrence. The purpose of this narrative review is to elaborate and discuss the effectiveness of the different interventions employed and their utilities in clinical practice.

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Objective: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in people aged <50 years has been increasing dramatically in the past three decades and such patients are known to face difficulties in diagnosis. The objective of this study was to better understand the diagnostic experiences of patients with CRC and explore age-related differences in the proportion with positive experiences.

Method: A secondary analysis of the English National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) 2017 was conducted on the responses of patients with CRC, restricted to those likely to have been diagnosed in the preceding 12 months via pathways other than routine screening.

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Purpose: Here, we describe the development and pilot study of a personalized eHealth intervention containing a pain science education program and self-management support strategies regarding pain and pain-related functioning in female survivors of breast cancer. First, we aimed to evaluate the eHealth intervention's acceptability, comprehensibility, and satisfaction; second, we aimed to assess its preliminary efficacy.

Methods: A mixed-method study design was used.

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Background: The burden of cancer is large in Australia, and rates of cancer Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) adherence is suboptimal across various cancers.

Methods: The objective of this study is to characterise clinician-perceived barriers and facilitators to cancer CPG adherence in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from 33 oncology-focused clinicians (surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and haematologists).

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Background: Urgent action is required to identify socially acceptable alcohol reduction options for heavy-drinking midlife Australian women. This study represents innovation in public health research to explore how current trends in popular wellness culture toward 'sober curiosity' (i.e.

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